Google has a lot of free software packaged with the Google Pixel 9 Pro smartphones, but if you’re already a Google fan, chances are you can’t take advantage of them.
For example, when you buy a Chromebook Plus or a Pixel 9 Pro, Google gives you a free year of Gemini Advanced. However, if you get both, you only redeem a single year of Gemini Advanced, and one free trial will become nothing.
In addition, reports are now coming out that if you are part of a Google One Family plan or subscribe to the 5TB Google Cloud storage option, you’ll need to leave the plan before you can redeem your Gemini Advanced subscription. Owners of Google Family plans seem to be able to redeem, but members can’t.
Oddly, it doesn’t work this way with the Pixel Watch 3’s free Fitbit Premium, which is available to new and returning Fitbit Premium subscribers.
However, a year of Fitbit costs around $100, while Gemini Advanced is $320, making a free year of the digital assistant a much more desirable sales incentive, especially when you can get Chromebook Plus computers for under $400.
Some other examples of this type of software-based sales incentive can often be seen with Xbox gaming products as a way to get people to buy more games or controllers, but unlike Google, Microsoft allows you to stack your memberships. So, if I already have six months of GamePass and I buy a new controller that comes with a free trial, I can add those days to my existing subscription. Microsoft allows users to stack up to 36 months of Game Pass Ultimate.
Apple works more similarly to Google but doesn’t market its software like Google does. For instance, a free year of Apple TV+ feels more like a bonus, whereas a year of Gemini Advanced feels more tied to the Pixel and how Google is marketing it as an AI phone. I wish Apple would let subscriptions stack as well since Apple Music and Apple TV+ are often used as sales incentives from carriers and other TV or headphone companies, but again, those things feel like bonus items, whereas Gemini feels like something that should be tied to the phone for free.
All in all, it’s scummy to market something with included free subscriptions but then apply weird limitations and rules to the subscriptions, which makes them unusable for a lot of people.
Source: Google Via: Android Authority
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